Main Content

[VOB-Slate-Hill]

[ANCHOR=Kim]

It will be an uphill battle, but developers say they're not giving up on their plans for a hillside near Tanglewood Mall.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Developer James Smith wants to build a 35 acre retail and office park.
It is called the Slate Hill Project and would be located near the intersection of Routes 419 and 220 in Roanoke County.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke Co.]

At last night's Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting, concerns were raised about traffic in the area, erosion on the hill, and an overall lack of details for the project.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 11:35]
[IN Q=Slate Hill's request]
((FRANCES BOATMAN/NEARBY RESIDENT: SLATE HILL'S REQUEST AND LACK OF INFORMATION SUBMITTED IS LIKE ME ASKING YOU FOR MONEY. YOU ASK ME WHY I WANT THE MONEY AND I TELL TO MAKE A PURCHASE. YOU ASK WHAT I PLAN TO PURCHASE AND I SAY STUFF.))
[SUPER=01-Frances Boatman/Nearby Resident; :]
[RUNS=:12]
[OUT Q=AND I SAY STUFF]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The attorney for the developer points out the majority of the project can be built without rezoning from the county.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 25:00]
[IN Q=My clients]
((ED NATT/DEVELOPER'S ATTORNEY: MY CLIENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUILD R-3 USES ON THAT PROPERTY NOW.))
[SUPER=01-Ed Natt/Developer's Attorney; :]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=on that property now]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

That could mean condominiums or townhouses.
After two hours of debate, the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously denied the rezoning request.
The Board of Supervisors will have the final say at its April 27th meeting.
(------------)

[11City-Schools]

The results of a long awaited audit of the Roanoke city school system are in.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

The Municipal Auditor released his findings to the school board last night.
The audit revealed the school system reported incomplete and inaccurate data on discipline.
It found 31 out of 56 incidents were not properly coded.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:33]
[IN Q=Given the circumstances]
((DREW HARMON/MUNICIPAL AUDITOR: GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND DISCIPLINE CRIME VIOLENCE, DATA REPORTING AND SAFETY IN SCHOOLS WE'RE NOT SURPRISED AT ALL TO HAVE A FEW FINDS LIKE WE HAD.))
[SUPER=01-Drew Harmon/Municipal Auditor]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=finds like we had]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Harmon also says schools failed to conduct required annual safety audits and had inadequate emergency management plans.
A follow-up audit is planned for next year.
(------------)

[11L'burg-Budget]

The possibility of fewer services and higher taxes brought hundreds of people out to a public hearing on the Lynchburg city budget
As Steve Smallshaw reports, many of those who spoke last night know what they want to keep- but they're aren't sure what should be cut.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=With a deficit]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg; :00]
[SUPER=01-Greg Marsh/Restaurant Owner; :30]
[SUPER=01-Lisa Hames/Supports Tax Increase; :45]
[SUPER=01-Ellen Nygaard/Friends of the Library; 1:15]
[SUPER=01-Ben Blanks/Supports Night Bus Service; 1:23]
[SUPER=@ssm2; 1:34]
[RUNS=1:39]
[OUT Q=News7, Lynchburg.]
(( With a deficit of anywhere from eight to 17 million dollars, this promises to be a painful budget season for Lynchburg residents.
Who gets hurt and how badly remains to be seen.
[natsot ]
(( ))
[RUNS= 02]

More than 200 people turned out for Tuesday's public hearing to learn more about a proposal to raise several local taxes, while cutting back on a wide variety of services.
Restaurant owners say giving Lynchburg the highest meals tax in the state leaves a bad taste in their mouths.
[SOT 19:17:15]
((GREG MARSH/RESTAURANT OWNER: I DO NOT THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD MESSAGE TO SEND WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES TO LYNCHBURG.))
[RUNS= 08]
[OUT Q=to Lynchburg.]

But at least a few were willing to pay more if it meant fully funding things like education.
[SOT 19:34:38]
((LISA HAMES/SUPPORTS TAX INCREASE: NOBODY WANTS TO INCREASE TAXES ON PERSONAL PROPERTY OR REAL ESTATE, BUT WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST-TAXED PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY AND WE ARE NUMBER 47 IN EDUCATION.))
[RUNS= 15]
[OUT Q=in education.]

City council took some heat for voting itself a pay raise this year while things like night-time bus service, the museum system and the downtown library could get the ax.
Residents say if cuts are necessary, city leaders need to trim the fat and not the muscle.
[SOT 19:43:10]
((ELLEN NYGAARD/FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY: I URGE YOU AS A COUNCIL TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WHAT CUTTING THE HOURS AND BUDGET OF THE LIBRARY SAYS ABOUT US AS A COMMUNITY.))
[RUNS= 08]
[OUT Q=as a community.]
[SOT 20:22:47]
((BEN BLANKS/SUPPORTS NIGHT BUS SERVICE: I THINK YOU ALL CAN FIND OTHER WAYS OF CUTTING OUT THE FUNDING, I MEAN LOOK AT THE FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR RAISES YOU GAVE YOURSELF THAT COULD BE A START RIGHT THERE.))
[RUNS= 11]
[OUT Q=start right there.]

Council has the next seven weeks to balance things out.
Steve Smallshaw, News7, Lynchburg. ))

[Iraq]

The violent uprising against U-S forces in Iraq continues to spread.
A spokesman says President Bush believes it's because of the upcoming transfer of power, still set for June 30th.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Ramadi, Iraq;]

Officials say up to a dozen Marines may have been killed in an ambush in Ramadi yesterday.
And today, three Marines were wounded in a continuing operation against insurgents in Fallujah.
More than 60 Iraqis have died in the latest fighting.
The Marines are targeting Iraqi guerillas, and searching for those behind last week's killings of four American civilians.
(------------)

At least one person was killed and dozens were injured when the train jumped the tracks last night.
An Amtrak spokesman said nine of the train's cars left the
tracks, and came to rest on their sides.
The train was traveling from New Orleans to Chicago.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has declared a state of emergency.
(------------)

[Marketwatch]

In business news, Alcoa and Ruby Tuesday have released their earnings reports.
Jean Lee has that story and more in this morning's Marketwatch.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Jean Lee/Reporting; :00]
[RUNS=1:30]
[OUT Q=CBS Marketwatch.]

[11House-Budget]

"Surprising" and "disappointing"... that is how some legislators are describing the latest turn of events in the state's budget battle.
A move toward a compromise didn't work out as planned yesterday.
Richmond Bureau Chief Meghan Muldoon has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO BE]
[SUPER=03-Richmond; :04]
[SUPER=@Bryant; :21]
[SUPER=01-James Parmalee/Republicans United for Tax Relief; :39]
[SUPER=@Griffith; 1:06]
[SUPER=@Meghan1; 1:12]
[RUNS=1:29]
[OUT Q=MM, NEWS 7, RICHMOND]
(([SOT 19:33:12]
((DELEGATE PRESTON BRYANT/R-LYNCHBURG: I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST ABOUT IT.))
[RUNS:03]
Many legislators, both Republicans and Democrats were left scratching their heads after several compromise bills that would raise the sales tax by half a cent failed to advance in the House Finance Committee.
The measures were offered as a way to break the four-week long budget stalemate.
[SOT 19:35:56]
((DELEGATE PRESTON BRYANT/R-LYNCHBURG: I HATE TAX INCREASES. I HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR AN INCOME TAX INCREASE, A SALES TAX INCREASE, A GAS TAX INCREASE IN MY LIFE. THESE ARE HISTORIC MOMENTS. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS AND SOON.))
[RUNS:11]
But some Republicans feel Bryant and other supporters of a sales tax increase are selling out.
[SOT 14:47:27]
((JIM PARMALEE/REPUBLICANS UNITED FOR TAX RELIEF: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A BETRAYAL OF EVERYTHING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY STANDS FOR AND EVERYTHING A LOT OF YOU SAID DURING YOUR CAMPAIGNS. THIS IS A BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW TAX INCREASES.))
[RUNS:12]
Later, the full House voted to advance a one year appropriations bill that supporters say will provide a safety net for local governments.
Despite forwarding the stopgap measure, it is still not clear where the budget talks are heading.
[SOT 19:11:16]
((DELEGATE MORGAN GRIFFITH/R-SALEM: I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP. WE ARE CERTAINLY CONCERNED IN THE HOUSE WE DON'T WANT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT.))
[RUNS:06]
Even if the House passes a budget bill to keep the state running for a year, the Senate and Governor Warner have already said they will reject it.
Which leaves the state back at square one, without a budget and appearing no closer to getting one.
Meghan Muldoon, News 7, Richmond.))

[11Bank-Robbery]

A combination of luck and an alleged criminal's bad timing helped Lynchburg police nab the man they say robbed a Bedford County bank last month.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co./March 17]

37-year-old Maurice Preston Scott was arrested yesterday afternoon and charged with robbing the SunTrust Bank in Forest on March 17th.
Police say Scott tried to rob the Central National Bank on Tate Springs Road in Lynchburg yesterday.. but the bank was closed when he came to the door.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 16:54:38]
[IN Q=It's nothing I]
((MIKE BROWN/BEDFORD CO. SHERIFF: IT'S NOTHING I SUPPOSE IN THE BOOK OF ROBBING BANKS THAT SAY YOU GOTTA BE REAL SMART. CAME TO THE BANK DOOR WITH HIS MASK ON, THE DOOR WAS LOCKED, AND I SUPPOSE HE RATTLED IT AND CERTAINLY THAT DREW ATTENTION TO HIM AND THE REST IS HISTORY.))
[SUPER=01-Mike Brown/Bedford Co. Sheriff]
[RUNS=15]
[OUT Q=the rest is history.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Bank employees called police and Scott was quickly apprehended.
He's facing attempted robbery charges in Lynchburg.
Police also say he has confessed to the Bedford County robbery.
(------------)

[Circus-Fall]

It was NOT supposed to be part of the show--
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-New York, NY/File Tape;]

A tightrope performer with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus fell 25- feet to the ground yesterday at Madison Square Garden, in front of an audience of 10- thousand people.
Ernando Amaya was returning to the high- wire platform when he
slipped and fell, suffering injuries to his right elbow, back and
chest.
Authorities say he's listed in stable condition.
(------------)
(kim tosses to bump)
[BUMP]

[COMM][11Alt-Education]

One of the things that came out of the recent underreporting of violence in Roanoke City Schools is the need for more alternative education.
So the school system came up with a program that now targets middle school students.
Justin McLeod tells us all about it and how it's working.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]
[SUPER=01-Al Steele/Program Coordinator; :23]
[SUPER=01-Beverly Burks/Program Coordinator; :54]
[SUPER=01-Nick Perna/Roanoke Middle School Student; 1:17]
[SUPER=@justin1; 1:25]
[RUNS=1:35]
[OUT Q=JM, News 7]
((((NAT SOUND OF TEACHING AT 10:01:04 SAYING "WHAT ELSE DO YOU POSSIBLY NEED"))
Nick Perna should be in high school by now but he was held back after failing seventh grade twice.
[SOT 9:58:05]
[IN Q=How did you get]
((NICK PERNA/ROANOKE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT: HOW DID YOU GET IN THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE? NOT DOING WORK.))
[Runs04]
[OUT Q=not doing work]

But Nick is doing his work these days and actually passing.
It's all made possible thanks to a program that targets at risk middle school students.
It's called adolescent uplift.
[SOT 9:46:01]
[IN Q=Expectations are high]
((AL STEELE/PROGRAM COORDINATOR: EXPECTATIONS ARE AS HIGH AS A REGULAR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THESE BOYS AND GIRLS KNOW THAT.))
[Runs05]
[OUT Q=know that]

61 are currently enrolled in the program.
They come from all over the school system and meet five days week at Breckinridge Middle School.
Here the classes are smaller so kids get plenty of one on one attention.
They also attend school from two in the afternoon until six at night.
It's a shorter school day but educators say it's still intensive since the students take the four basic classes.
[SOT 9:40:21]
[IN Q=There's no giveaways]
((BEVERLY BURKS/PROGRAM COORDINATOR: THERE'S NO GIVE AWAYS HERE. WE'RE NOT WHOLESALING EDUCATION. THEY HAVE TO EARN WHAT THEY GET HERE.))
[Runs06]
[OUT Q=THEY GET HERE]

What they get besides an education is self esteem.
Many of these kids have behavioral as well as learning problems and would probably drop out if they remained in the mainstream classroom.
The goal of this program is to intervene early so they can get back on track and graduate from high school.
[SOT 9:59:12]
[IN Q=I want to become]
((NICK PERNA/ROANOKE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT: I WANT TO BECOME A MECHANIC AND MAYBE THIS SCHOOL CAN HELP ME.))
[Runs05]
[OUT Q=can help me]
[SOT ]
[IN Q=Administrators say]
((JUSTIN McLEOD/REPORTING: ADMINISTRATORS SAY 95-PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS ARE ALREADY SEEING BETTER GRADES. MEANTIME, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PLANS TO MONITOR THE STUDENTS TO SEE IF THEY IN FACT GO ON TO HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATE. JUSTIN McLEOD, NEWS 7.))))

[Biz-Brief]

In business news, The world's largest aluminium producer released its earnings report after the closing bell yesterday.
Alcoa Incorporated posted a net income of 41 cents per share for its first quarter.
That's up from 17 cents a year ago.
Stan Case has more of the day's news in the business brief.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Stan Case/Reporting; :]
[RUNS=1:00]
[OUT Q=I'm Stan Case.]

((STOCKS ENDED MIXED ON TUESDAY.

ON WALL STREET...
THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED UP TWELVE-POINTS...
THE NASDAQ LOST NINETEEN.

SALES AT THE NATION'S LARGEST CHAIN STORES IMPROVED MODESTLY FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL THIRD.
SALES ROSE THREE-TENTHS OF A PERCENT.. COMPARED WITH A ONE-POINT-NINE PERCENT FALL IN THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
THE REPORT SAYS CHILLY WEATHER AND HIGH GAS PRICES CAUSED THE HIT IN SALES.
MARCH'S OVER ALL RETAIL NUMBERS ARE SET TO BE RELEASED LATER THIS WEEK.

MORGAN STANLEY IS BUYING RISK MANAGEMENT FIRM BARRA INCORPORATED.
THE INVESTMENT BANK IS EXPECTED TO PAY 816-MILLION DOLLARS IN CASH FOR THE BUSINESS.
THE DEAL IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

EDDIE BAUER COULD SOON BE ON THE AUCTION BLOCK.
THE BANKRUPT OWNER OF BAUER IS SET ASK A U-S BANKRUPTCY COURT JUDGE FOR THE OKAY TO SELL THE MAKER OF OUTDOORS CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT AND HOME FURNISHINGS.
EDDIE BAUER IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR UP TO 800-MILLION-DOLLARS.
IT BANKS ANNUALLY ONE-POINT-THREE BILLION DOLLARS IN SALES.

[6-B'burg-Sewer]

Blacksburg's controversial sewer extension to the Toms Creek basin is headed to court.
Two people filed suit in Montgomery County Circuit Court against the town yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Blacksburg;]

The residents are challenging the legality of a more than 7 and a half million dollar bond that will help pay for the sewer line through Toms Creek.
The suit alleges the town did not follow proper procedures when passing a bond for the sewer project.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=HOLD]

Town officials are not commenting on the suit.

[Early-Years]

Transcendental meditation is a growing phenomenon among school systems.
(++++++++++)
[Take FS Early Years]
Doctor Sanjay Gupta takes a look at the benefits in this week's Early Years segment.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Kamau Pendergass/Student; :12]
[SUPER=01-Erin Roberts/Student; :20]
[SUPER=01-Jane Pitt/Nataki Talibah Schoolhouse Of Detroit; :52]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Michael Artman/Pediatric Cardiologist; 1:20]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Gary Kaplan/Neurologist; 1:44]
[SUPER=01-Josh Mackenson/Student; 2:07]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Sanjay Gupta/Reporting; 2:14]
[RUNS=2:20]
[OUT Q=Sanjay Gupta, NY.]
((these teenagers don't look particularly concerned about the things that worry... most teenagers... school, dating and peer pressure. instead, they are busy acing a new class...
meditation makes me feel more calm and relaxed and more able to take stress
it's a chance to escape from the world that is going on around you. it's like a chance to actually get to know yourself without going somewhere.
kamau and erin both practiced tm by following the transcendental medidation program at their school in inner city detroit. T-M gained popularity back in the 70's
mantras in the morning... then again later in the day... helps quiet a busy adolescent mind...
when the mind becomes quiet, the body right along with it becomes quiet thereby gaining a very deep state of rest. 021650
and that restful state may be good not only for the mind... but the body as well... researchers at the medical college of georgia found teenagers who had higher than normal blood pressure and practiced tm everyday for 4 months significantly decreased their blood pressure even AFTER the study.
the surprise really was that this worked. that just 15 minutes of tm twice a day had such an important effect on bp in these children
add to that... other studies showing higher self esteem, more positive well being and less stress and aggression in youngsters who practice tm.
and few, if any side effects... as dr. gary kaplan, a doctor and advocate of tm as part of school curriculum points out.
as a physician, i'm prescribing a lot of medications that are powerful, and unfortunately the more powerful the medication the more powerful the side effects. this is something that you can do on your own.
these students learned for free, but the transcendental medidation program they followed does cost a one time fee of $2500 and requires no specific spiritual belief.
it's pretty much a way to relax your mind that really doesnt take much time. i find it's pretty much better than sleep